The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-12-29
Raw Materials. =,

Inc Phlladelphla Times makes a suggeS-
tive recommendation. 1t is that iron
ores be placed on the free list, on the as
sumption that it would cheaper the man.
ufactnred article of iron, without inter.
fering with the interest Of labor. A mis-
take is made here, in that iron ore is net
properly to be classed with raw materials.
1t is product of labor, as John Roach
well said in a pamphlet in 1880. It is only
raw material, in a proper sense. when it
lies embedded in the mines. AS soon as
the miner and the pick and shovel bring it
from its natural state, it becomes the pro.
duct of labor. So with coal, and Hon.
W. l.. Scott, Democratic representative
in Congress from the Erie, Pa. district,
and a confidential adviser OF the Presi--
dent, favors coal being placed On the free
list. The people of Virginia and West
Virginia. irrespective of party affiliations.
will not endorse these propositions. RI
they are insisted upon by the manufac-
turers of the North. the South will meet
it, by demanding free steel rails II the
principle of projections to be abandoned
in respect to the products of the South, it
ought to share the same fate as it relates
to theproducts Of the North. The proper
thing to do would pe to increase the tariff
duties On iron ores, and thus shut out the
100000 tons of foreign ores annually
imported. With this demand upon do
nestle mines, districts of vast mineral
wealth, now practically dead values, would
about what Mr.. Randall says ought to be, 1
the industrial independence Of this coun
try.
The proposition to take the tariff off OF
sugar is equally indefensible and unwise.
1t will not be five years, with the present
tariff on sugar retained, before there will
be furnished from our own resources all
the sugar we consume. The making OF |
beet and sorghum sugar is now attracting
and already an immense plant
Is projected in California.
The true policy isto abolish the system
Of internal taxation which now prevails and |
carry out the principle of protection in its
uniform application to everything that |
,an be made or is produced in America
sugar and what is called raw
materials. The Republican party is com
mitted to this principle, not as of inter-
mittent application, but as q broad na
ional policy, affecting every portion and |
every interest of the Tn ion. To abandon |
it at one point would be to distrust the |
policy and weaken the arguments by which |
it is sustained.
If the steel and iron Interests Of Penn
sylvania are in any way parties to the sug-
gestion of the Times and Mr.. Scott. they
ought to look before they leap Ii the |!
interests of the South are struck, the /
representatives of the South will strike
back. Certainly Virginia and West Nir- |
yinia will it may involve iron ore and
,oal
Theprotective principle has brought the |
country to its present prosperity, and op
Grated to rescue the credit Of the country
from ruin and its treasury from bank |
uptcy. 1t is not because it has been a |
Failure that the President assails 1t and |
Favors it's destruction. But because it pro- !
luces more revenues than the country !
needs, and operates to make every manu-
featured article cheapeltlisu it was before |
The policy was adopted and at the same time
the value of the farm. the truck /
patch. and agriculture IN al of its forms.
Fake off the domestic tax. if the revenue
IS too much, and let the tax onforeign pro
1ncts, which come in Competition with
our manufactured articles. al0ne-at the /
same time adjusting ai,s iaeqnaheies
which may exist, or defecss Which exps
renee has exposed